


Are we fixin'

by Rearviewdreamer



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: M/M, handyman Louis
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-22
Updated: 2014-07-22
Packaged: 2018-02-09 22:26:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 13,872
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2000232
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rearviewdreamer/pseuds/Rearviewdreamer
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Harry Styles' only wish was to endure a holiday with his family long enough to go back home. He didn't anticipate meeting a boy who would make it a whole lot easier to deal with.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>(I just really needed handyman Louis, don't judge)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

They’ve been on the road so long that Harry has lost track of time. They’ve been driving a little over two hours now, possibly longer but he has no clue. He watches the different shades of brown and green blur past him as he stares out the window, wondering exactly how much longer he’ll have to sit back here, but not wanting to be the one to ask.

He can’t remember the last time he was forced to sit in the back seat with his sister. It must have been sometime when they were both kids, teenagers even. It’s probably been just as long since they’ve all taken a trip together.

It’s nothing against them, but truthfully Harry could do without all the forced family bonding, especially during one of his only breaks from school. As much as he would like to spend his break doing absolutely nothing in the privacy of his own flat, this was the only time his father could take his holiday time, which happened to also be the perfect time for Gemma to take some much needed time off. Anne makes her own schedule and could take time off whenever, so that just left Harry and whether or not he would cooperate or ruin the entire vacation. He’s clearly not that heartless, and plus, a free trip is a free trip.

They come around a long bend through, wait for it, more trees, and continue down the path until the woods grow even more thick and lush. It’s even gotten darker in the car from how the trees block out most of the sun. The end of the road takes forever to actually reach, and when they do the whole area opens up to reveal a fairly large cabin house, probably two or three times the size of his parents’ home. The wooden porch wraps around the house, dotted every so often with a set of rocking chairs, all looking out over the lake.

“Oh it’s beautiful! Don’t you think so?” his mum chirps in the passenger seat, already opening the door even though the car hasn’t fully stopped.  His dad laughs a bit at her nodding along with her statement.

“I love the porch! I’m going to get so many books crossed off my list,” Gemma smiles at her mum, also paying no attention to the fact that the vehicle is still in motion and grabbing for the door. She pokes Harry in the side making him jump, “ _Say something_!” she whispers at him.

“It’s nice mum.” He wraps an arm around her shoulder once they’re all out of the car, dropping a kiss to her cheek. “It looks great.”

He goes to the car to get their luggage while his mum and sister run in. He can hear their squeals of joy from the house. His dad finds him a few seconds later, helping to get their things out of the car.

“What do you think?” His dad knows he’d probably rather be locked in an air-tight room than here on this trip for his entire break, but he smiles at Harry regardless.

“It’s great…I’m glad you invited me along.” He lies easily clapping his dad on the shoulder and heading inside. It’s not that he doesn’t like travelling, he just doesn’t share his family’s excitement of living in a cabin in the woods just because it’s big and in the woods. They could easily do everything here that they could at home, but hey, it’s not Harry’s money so he’s not going to complain about how his parents spent it.

He drops everyone’s stuff off in their rightful rooms, his parents at the end of the hallway and Gemma’s right across from his own. They haven’t shared rooms this close to each other since they were little. His room is about half the size of his entire flat that he shares with his friend Niall. He doesn’t know what he’s going to do with all the extra space since he doesn’t even intend to unpack.

“Isn’t this view amazing?”

His mum walks in, handing him a bottle of water as she looks around. “Yeah, the lake is beautiful.”

 She beams at his unenthusiastic comment. She’s just happy he agreed to come with them. “Your sister and I are going to go into town later to get food and other things. You’re welcome to join.”

“Oh ok, yeah, I’ll think about it.” He says as she leaves. Harry would much rather step on hot nails than get trapped into a shopping trip with his mum and sister. He learned long ago that any type of shopping really means wandering aimlessly through shop after shop until they can’t bear to carry their own bags under the weight of all the pointless things they’ve gotten.

The doorbell rings after a while of Harry looking in all the drawers and closet space of his room for any evidence of who rented this house before them; he finds nothing but a receipt for a bikini from a year ago and a chewing gum wrapper.

He makes his way down the stairs to find his father and mother deeply engrossed with a woman with long dark hair flowing down her shoulders. She spots him on the stairs immediately.

“Hello, I’m Jay! You must be Harry, so nice to meet you.” She offers her hand with a lovely smile and he can’t help but to smile back a bit when he shakes it. She talks fast, much more quickly than Harry does, and her hands keep flying around in her excitement.

She seems really sweet for a manager and not at all bossy or rude while explaining all the different water activities and features of the house. She gives his mother a handful of keys and takes both of his parents on a tour of the property, opening and closing different doors to make sure the keys work. She gives main house keys to Harry and also Gemma before she leaves which he shoves in the pocket of his jeans. He’ll have to remember to put it somewhere it won’t get lost.

She leaves a number to reach her at her office, pointing down the path along river where he assumes she works. She wishes them a lovely holiday before she goes, smiling at them all, leaving Harry there alone with his family. She takes all the excitement with her and down the lake.


	2. Chapter 2

The next day, Harry makes his way to the porch to check it out. It’s nothing special really, just a lot of flower pots and rocking chairs. It’s doesn’t hold his interest for long so he walks over to the front garden area…equally as boring so he walks a bit further to get a better view of the lake. There’s not much happening there either except a few small boats gliding lazily in the distance. He could go get his camera, but that would mean an unnecessary trip all the way up to his room.

The path they drove up to get to the house follows around the entire lake he finds as he follows it with his eyes. If he squints he can little houses much the same as his along the way just as Mrs. Tomlinson said. He wonders how many of them are occupied, though he assumes one of them is her office. He can’t see any cars or people from here, so he’d have to go exploring later.

As he’s lying on the couch two days later, soaking up the sun pouring in while his father calls around the town for boat rentals, he goes back through his mental list of why vacation homes are silly. If he closes his eyes and blocks out his dad’s voice across the room as well as his mom and sister singing in the kitchen down the hall, he could almost pretend to be at his flat with Niall and the rest of his friends.  There isn’t much difference between this couch and the one he’s sure Niall is probably sitting on with his bare arse right now just because he has the flat to himself for a few weeks. He grimaces at the thought and digs his phone out of his pocket. _‘Don’t destroy our furniture with your bare arse please. I would actually like to sit on it when I come back.’_ Niall texts him back after a minute, _’too late bro’._

He’s been bored for three days now, just lying around. He puts on his trainers by the door thinking maybe he’ll go for a run, but then out of nowhere the sound of metal snapping rings through the house followed by a loud and continuous gush of water the girls’ screams in the kitchen. Harry and his dad are both up and running in seconds.

His mom is standing by the counter with the hot water handle in her grip, water dripping down her face as she fights a smile. Gemma is completely soaked, digging through the cupboards, throwing any towels she can find on top of the geyser currently spewing from the sink, but unlike his mother, Gemma doesn’t look so amused about it. His father rushes in past him, slipping on the floor and nearly mauling his mother over in the process. It makes Harry double over with laughter for the first time since they got there.

They got the water mostly off the floor and counters while his dad called the main office. Now twenty minutes later there was just a heap of soaked dish towels catching most of the spray while the rest poured out into the sink, his mother still clutching the handle like she’s afraid to put it down.

Now that all the excitement was over, Harry felt silly just standing and watching everyone’s clothes dry. There was nothing left to do but have the repairman come in anyway and that wouldn’t be very interesting. He heads toward the door to finally go for his run; he’ll get dry quicker from running than standing around.

He yanks open the door, taking a full step onto the porch, colliding with some random guy standing very close to his door like he was either creeping on his house or about to ring the doorbell; they both go tumbling together.

They land in a pile of each other on the welcome mat, Harry’s elbow digging into the boy’s side and his torso draped over his waist.

“I am so sorry!” The boy rushes to apologize scrambling from beneath him. “I’m sorry, are- are you alright?” He offers Harry his hand, real concern in his eyes when Harry doesn’t just jump to stand up like a normal person. He would, but all of a sudden he’s very distracted and somehow lying sprawled out on the porch isn’t as bad as he would’ve initially thought.

“Hi,” Harry drawls taking in the boy’s eyes for the first time, “I’m Harry.” The boy searches Harry’s face, confusion clear in his expression. Harry tries again, “I’m Harry, what’s your name?” The boy’s eyes dart from Harry’s face to the skin exposed where his shirt is riding up away from his running shorts. He blushes and Harry can’t help but grin at him even if he is still on the ground.

“Uh, Louis…but that’s not what I asked. Are you alright? It looked like you hit your head.” The boy, Louis, reaches his hand out again practically shoving it in Harry’s face.

“Hello.” Harry smiles finally taking the help and lifting himself up. When he’s finally right side up they both stare at each other waiting for the other to say something else.

Louis squints his eyes at him tilting his head a bit, “So your head is…?? Okay then?”

“Yeah, yeah I’m fine…back hurts a bit but…”

“That’s probably because you were just lying on a hammer and about four screwdrivers…” Louis points down at the tools spread out all around them bending down to gather them. “Glad you’re alright.” Harry helps him out, digging the nails and screws from between the panels of wood. He places them in the bag of tools the boy is tossing everything else in. Harry wonders what he’s even doing with all this stuff.

“Hey, Louis, what were you dong standing out here anyway?” Harry hardly gets the words out before his dad is standing in the doorway, talking over him and inviting Louis inside.

“You’re the repairman right? Come on in, please.” His dad ushers Louis inside, only giving a curious glance to Harry now standing awkwardly on his own.  This would probably be a good time to go for his run, he should, but now there’s something a lot more interesting going on inside of the house rather than out here.

He walks in without another thought, finding his way to the kitchen where his family is hovered around Louis, telling him different versions of what happened and showing him the damage. Harry stays in the background watching them all interact. Soon they all disperse, leaving Louis to get to work. Harry knows he should probably leave too but he just doesn’t want to.

“If you’re going to stand there and watch me you could at least help,” Louis quips, his head lost in the sink, causing his voice to be louder than usual. “Hand me that blue wrench in the side pocket, will you?”

Harry smiles at being addressed by him. He’s on his tiptoes leaning into the sink trying to move the towels without getting soaked while holding the sink handle to the faucet. He digs for the wrench like he was asked and he gets a closer look at Louis as he walks over. He notes the way his hair is too long and curls up at the ends like he’s a year or two overdue for a haircut. He took off his lightwash jacket when he started working, so now he’s just in a t-shirt whose sleeves have been rolled up and wearing jeans almost tight enough to rival his own.  He hands Louis the wrench and instead of backing away like good manners would suggest, he stays close watching Louis’ hair fall into his face as he works. Louis moves some of it behind his ear.

“You’re staring.” Louis sticks his tongue out a little trying to place the broken piece correctly onto the faucet.

“How long have you been doing this?”

“I -uh don’t usually…” He uses all of his strength to tighten the handle but his hand slips making him drop the tool and the part and causing water to spew out everywhere. “Fuck!” he says it under his breath then darts his eyes around so make sure no one else heard. “Sorry about that, my mom would kill me for swearing around clients.”

Harry hands him back his wrench, “So you work for your mom? Was that her I met a few days ago? Long dark hair, a smile like yours?”

Louis takes the wrench rolling his eyes, “Yeah that’s her. You haven’t even seen my smile.” Harry shrugs grinning at him. Louis loses his grip around the faucet again and everything goes flying for a second time. He swears a bit louder and this time Harry laughs.

“You know, you’re not very _good_ at this, no offense.” He hands Louis the wrench for the third time.  Louis unrolls one of his shirtsleeves to wipe water off of his face and neck. Harry watches every movement.

“I’m not usually the one who comes to fix things. My dad does it, but he had to go out of town so my mom is making me help with maintenance, so you’re not wrong. I don’t _technically_ know what I’m doing. I’m just a good guesser.” He tries the wrench again, the veins and muscles in his arms and hands tightening as he finally gets the handle to stay on.

He removes all the dripping towels now that the water was flowing freely through the spout and not the space where the handle should be. “I’ll just go get your parents then.”

Harry decides that now would be a good time to leave since his parents and probably his sister would be here in a few minutes and he would have to pretend to not blatantly check Louis out. “Okay. It was nice of you to let me distract you…uhm, thanks for fixing the sink and all that.”

“Well it’s kind of my job, but thanks?” Louis says and Harry thinks he almost sees a smile, but that’s alright, he’ll try for a smile next time.

“See you later, bye.” Harry nods and waves showing himself out his own front door. Louis watches him leave, nodding as Harry turns the corner and is out of sight. He hits the pathway at full speed, adrenaline pumping though him. He was quite certain this lake house was the most pointless thing he’s ever been forced into, but if Louis is going to be hanging around then he may have to reconsider.


	3. Chapter 3

“If you push me in the water I swear I’ll murder you. No one would find the body out here.”

Gemma glares at him as they take a seat on the boat, daring him to do it and force her hand. He hasn’t thrown her into a body of water since they were kids; she should have a little more respect for him and how much he’s grown. He’s a grown up after all.

He makes an offended face placing a hand on Gemma’s shoulder, “Gem, I would never _ever_ push you in. I’m above all that now.” She eyes him like she doesn’t believe it, and to be honest, she shouldn’t.  Harry sneakily unscrews the cap from his water bottle when she’s not looking. “I promise, no, I _swear_ I won’t throw you in,” he holds out his hand in a truce and Gemma takes the bait. As soon as their hands grasp Harry yanks her toward him and squeezes the bottle making water explode onto her lap and all over her front.

“HARRY! You just swore and now I have to kill you!” She jumps up yanking his curls between her fingers and uncapping her own bottle of water.

“Wait! WAIT!” Harry shouts. She stops momentarily to hear his argument, “I didn’t lie! I said I wouldn’t push you _in_ , I didn’t say anything about other forms of water!”

She pours it on his head soaking him from head to toe. “I hate you.” She mumbles when she’s back in her seat next to him.

Harry shakes his hair out like a dog after a bath, getting Gemma and his mother wet, “I’ve been hearing that one for twenty years…it’s time for a new comeback, don’t you think sis?” She punches him in the arm and it actually stings.

His father lazily maneuvers them around the lake a few times, and now Harry can see all the other cabin houses. There are six including theirs and then one that is considerably smaller than the others at the very end of the lake.

The boat outing barely lasts an hour before the clouds start to roll in and they can hear the thunder booming in the distance, the lightening has just started and tiny droplets are beginning to fall. They all head inside to wait out the approaching storm, when a familiar voice calls out for them.

“I have candles and batteries!” Mrs. Tomlinson says as she hops out of her car. Harry whips his head around to look inside but he doesn’t see Louis in there. “The electricity tends to go out during storms like these, so I thought I’d bring some things over.” She hands everything to his mother and the two of them start a new conversation up within seconds.

“Thank you so much for sending your son over to fix the sink! He really saved the day.”

“You’re welcome! He loves to do whatever he can, he’s so helpful that way.”  Harry rolls his eyes. Louis actually doesn’t like helping at all. He said so when he was here. Actually, speaking of Louis…

“Where is Louis?” Harry asks out of nowhere causing the women to stop and stare at him.

“He’s around here somewhere...not sure where exactly but I’ll tell him you asked about him.” Mrs. Tomlinson answers kindly. He briefly wonders how she feels about a random guy asking after her son.

The rain starts to fall harder and a big clap of thunder makes them all jump. “Well I better get going, see you all next time!” She takes off back to her car trying to avoid getting wet. She waves as she pulls off back down the pathway as quickly as she arrived.

His mum guides him back into the house, but his mind is still stuck on Louis. Why couldn’t he have been the one to bring candles? It’s probably because his mother is plenty capable of distributing candles on her own. She probably had no clue about fixing the sink so she sent Louis instead.  Just his luck…

As it pours, Harry starts to think of different scenarios in which Jay Tomlinson would send her son over to their cabin when suddenly the lights go out, leaving them all in the dark. He looks out of his window down towards the other cabins and wonders if Louis is there, sitting in the dark as well.


	4. Chapter 4

He hasn’t seen Louis in almost four days when he starts to get both extremely bored and very desperate. Niall won’t text him back, his sister only wants to play scrabble, his mother is happily tanning and reading near the water all day, and his dad is busy fishing with some guys he met in town, so Harry is basically left to his own devices. He’s taken pictures of everything around them and he even went for a swim a couple of days ago. Now he just wants to see Louis again.

It was easy really; all he had to do was turn the handle of the sink extra aggressively, and just like that it was detached and water was hitting the walls and rushing onto the floor; Harry should have done this days ago.

He called the manager’s office and calmly told Mrs. Tomlinson about the tragedy, and within twenty minutes her only son was standing in his doorway, a bag of tools in hand, tank top hanging down past his hips, wild hair flying in every direction like he just got out of bed. He looks amazing.

“Hello.” Harry grins, stepping aside to let the boy in.

“Hi.” Louis answers with no real emotion at all.

“So…How are you, Louis?”

Louis looks at him like he’s annoyed already. Harry would be too if he’d gotten dragged out of bed to chat. “Isn’t there something here I’m supposed to be fixing or…?”

“Oh yeah, right. This way,” he leads them to the kitchen and Louis’ mouth drops open a couple of centimeters. “Yeah,” Harry begins, “I guess it wasn’t on tight enough or something from last time…I went to do the dishes and the handle just came right off again.” Harry keeps his face as calm and indifferent as he possibly can, but he’s struggling.

Louis nods, his mouth turning up into a tiny smirk. He gets right to work again, removing the towels and reaching for the wrench, which Harry hands him.

“So… exactly how long did it take you to break down and rip the handle off of a perfectly good sink?” Louis asks between twists of his wrist, tightening his grip around the wrench. Harry is surprised at the very frank direction of the conversation.

“W-what? I didn’t rip it off, it wasn’t tight enough from last time,” Harry lies shrugging. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Louis scoffs and crosses his arms across his chest, “Right. Well I know that I tightened this faucet correctly before. I also know that I tightened the hot handle last time, and this time I’m here reattaching the cold side.” He raises his eyebrow in challenge.

He has a good point there. “Hm…Well you can’t prove anything.” Harry grins at him.

“I can probably prove that you’re insane, or just really bored…I can’t really tell which.” Louis breathes out a little chuckle, turning back to finish the sink. Harry moves closer to him.

“So Louis, what do you do for fun around here?”

It looks as though Louis is using most of his concentration for the sink and not Harry’s random small talk. “Not much… I- I’m usually at uni…I’m on break.”

“Do you need help? I could try the wrench if it’s too hard for you-” Louis gets the handle on just as the words leave Harry’s mouth. “Oh. Nevermind.”

Louis gathers everything together, putting it back in the tool bag. He puts it over his shoulder, raking a few pieces of hair out of his face as he heads toward the door past Harry. Harry catches up to him at the front, watching Louis writing in a notebook; probably a record book of repairs.

“Thanks for uh…you know fixing the sink.” Harry offers sheepishly. All of this for fifteen minutes of interaction with a boy he barely knows. What has his life come to? It must be all the fresh air getting to him.

“You mean thanks for fixing the sink that you intentionally broke?” Louis grins at him and hands him the sheet of paper with a number scrawled across it. “Here. So next time you won’t have to damage my family’s property, destroy the plumbing, or purposefully burn the house down or something.”

Harry laughs into his hand. “I still don’t know what you’re talking about, Louis. People don’t just destroy private property when they want to talk to a cute guy.”

Louis full on smiles this time and it’s as lovely as Harry had guessed.  “You’re so ridiculous.” Louis walks onto the porch and down the stairs, shaking his head the whole time, visibly fighting a smile.

Harry doesn’t waste any time putting the number into his phone. He makes himself wait an entire thirty minutes before texting him though. _‘Let’s maybe not mention the fact that I broke the sink to anybody. There’ll be questions, and I don’t have very good answers.’_

The wait is agonizing, but finally Louis replies, _‘Please. I’m telling literally everyone ;)’_

\----

_‘Don’t you want to rescue me from yet another family game of scrabble?’_

_‘Mmmm nope! Not unless you want to rescue me from fixing the lock on one of the houses’_

_‘Well I can’t rescue you, but I could help…’_

_‘Harry…you know how to replace locks?’_

_‘Well no not technically, but how hard could it be right??’_

Apparently playing sidekick repairman isn’t as fun as Harry thought it was going to be. Sure he gets to hang out with Louis, get out of the house, and also spy on the other families who are staying there, but who knew being a repairman required doing so much work…

“Are you even reading the right section?” Louis sighs letting the screwdriver fall from his hand, “There are instructions for installing and removing, _please_ tell me you’re reading the ones for installation.”

Harry doesn’t answer him right away because he’s not sure what he’s reading to be honest. “Uhmmm…I’m readingggg..OH!  Okay, so this is the step we just did! I’m on the right section, don’t worry. Alright, so now you have to line the two pegs up on either side and use that tiny screw to hold the pieces together.”

Louis nods and moves to complete the step. “Good.” Harry praises. “Now you have to make sure the pieces are aligned correctly and you can drill the holes for the screws.”

“You’re sure?” Louis eyes him skeptically. In his defense, Harry did fuck up yesterday and almost ruined a ceiling fan because he was reading the wrong side of the instruction manual. Louis didn’t find it all that endearing.

“Positive!” Louis sighs but starts drilling holes into the metal piece anyway, because at this point they’ve gone too far to stop now. Even Harry is surprised half an hour later when the new set of locks actually work.

Louis walks him back to his family’s cabin after they return all the tools to the office without Jay seeing them. Louis says he’s not really supposed to be hanging out with clients, but what she doesn’t know won’t hurt her.  Harry completely agrees.

“So what are you doing the rest of the night?” Harry asks walking up to his door. Louis never comes in, says his mum would kill him.

“Not sure yet…what about you? Your family have plans?” Louis asks while playing with the welcome mat beneath his feet. Harry smiles at him because he looks unsure, nervous almost. That’s different; usually Harry is the one making a fool of himself in front of Louis.

“I think they’re just watching movies all night.”

Louis nods, “Oh ok. Well.”

Harry raises his eyebrows, “Well..?”

“So some of my friends are getting together later. You can come… you know if you get bored here or whatever.”

Harry smiles at him, “I’ll come with you because I want to, not because I’m bored,” he playfully taps Louis’ arm. “What time?”

“In a couple of hours… around eight or so. I’ll text you and we can walk together.”

He’s excited to meet Louis’ friends. He’s been here for two weeks already and other than Louis he hasn’t seen anyone else around his age. The other families on the lake have kids who are much younger and no one he’s seen in town looks over eighteen.

He picks a black pair of skinny jeans and blue plaid shirt that’s a just a bit too big for him; he always has to roll up the sleeves, but it’s one of his most comfortable shirts. He throws a beanie on and grabs his wallet just as Louis texts him that he’s walking over. He has about fifteen minutes.

His dad catches him roaming the hall fully dressed like he’s about to go out. He lies and says he’s going to take pictures with some of the new lenses he bought. His dad gives him a look like he doesn’t really believe him, but walks away; that gets rid of him. He sees Louis through the window and practically runs out to meet him. He looks like he did the first time Harry ever saw him, tight jeans and a t-shirt under a jacket. Louis’ hair is just as untamed as his own, but Harry put on beanie to cover it. He likes Louis’ hair the way it is.

Harry was a bit worried at first to be walking all the way to town, but then Louis veered off the path and took them through the woods for a short cut. The twenty minutes doesn’t seem to take too long when they walk through the pub door.

They find a booth to wait for Liam and Zayn while Harry goes to get them some beers. By the time he comes back Louis’ friends are there greeting him and introducing themselves to Harry. They’re both laid back, and it’s obvious that Louis is the loudest after about ten minutes of watching them all interact. Zayn and Liam just watch him fondly like they’re used to it. Harry’s used to it and he’s only known Louis a couple of weeks.

“Doesn’t your mum have that rule where you can’t hang out with clients though?” Zayn inquires after a few beers have settled in him. “No offense Harry. I’m just surprised you two are friends.”

Louis makes a funny face at him, his lips in a grimace, “Yes _Zayn_ , she does have that rule, which is why she doesn’t know, and also why I want to keep it that way.” Louis shoots him a look to get his point across.

“Hey,” Harry asks tapping Louis’ arm, “Why does she have that rule anyway? Did something happen?”

“Because when he was sixteen he got a house full of teenagers drunk off the liquor he stole from one of the cabins… two of them were underage and their parents were furious with both Louis _and_ Jay.” Liam mummers behind his beer. Zayn snorts his laughter at the memory.

“Yeah, luckily Liam and I ran out of there fast enough, but Jay caught Louis. We were sure she was going to actually murder him. Sadly he’s still here…annoying as ever.”

“Alright lads, that was _one time_ and I clearly learned my lesson! I was a stupid kid who had all access to a bar big enough to fill the Atlantic; of course I was going to fuck up at least once. I blame her for letting me have access to the cabin keys in the first place!”

Harry is laughing leaned back against the booth seat. “So you got a bunch of clients pissed drunk so she won’t trust you with me or anyone else? But that was years ago, surely you’re matured since then.”

Louis fake frowns into his beer then sits it down, “Maybe I’m not as innocent as everyone thinks.”

“Yeah, but something tells me you’re not.” Harry raises his eyebrows and slinks down further into the booth with Louis watching his every move. Harry likes being under his full attention.

Louis’ eyes are still trailing over Harry when he finally responds. “Yeah maybe I’m not.”

 

They leave a couple of hours after they arrive. Harry feels warm and tingly, so he knows he drank just the right amount. They arrive at Harry’s house by the short cut a few minutes later, Louis doesn’t even walk up to the porch; he stands in the gravel instead.

“Thanks for coming, I uh- that was fun.” Louis grins at him. Harry doesn’t want him to go yet.

“Hey, let me walk you home. You always walk me to my house but I never get to walk you.” Harry offers. Louis looks like he’s contemplating it for a few seconds before he nods his agreement.

It’s too quiet on the walk so Harry fills up the silence. “You never told me what do you study at school.”

Louis moves a bit closer to him so sometimes their arms touch as they swing. “Business and math…I’ll take over all of this in a few years.” He points at all the different cabins. Harry assumes he means his parents’ rental business. “What about you? I know photography but anything else?”

“Yeah, my parents wouldn’t pay for me to just do photography so I do psychology as well.”

“You’re going to be a counselor? Doctor maybe, I suppose?” Louis grins at him through the hair falling in his face.

“Nope. I don’t really want to do either, but psych got my parents off my back. I like photography a lot though.”

It’s quiet again but this time Louis speaks up. “How long are you staying?” he looks away like he didn’t want to bring it up, but that’s something they’ve never really talked about.

“Just another two weeks, I think.” Louis nods pointing at his house.  Harry can’t tell what he’s thinking.

“Well thanks for walking me. I’ll see you.” He turns to walk up his porch. Harry follows him, grabbing one of his hands to slow him down. He’s not sure exactly what the outcome of this will be, but right now he just wants to feel Louis’ lips on his. Louis doesn’t move when Harry leans down and lightly kisses his lips. He opens his mouth to Harry and inches closer so their bodies touch. Harry wraps a hand around Louis’ waist and the other into the hair that he’s been captivated by for the past two weeks.

It’s not as intense as Harry thought it would be considering he’s been wanting to kiss Louis since they met. It’s soft and nice, rather than the rushed mess he was anticipating. It feels even better when Louis slips his tongue into his mouth and slinks his hand into Harry’s curls to bring him in even closer.

When they break apart it’s with shy smiles and heated cheeks. Now Harry really doesn’t want to go home.

“Umm, you should probably get going before you know who sees us,” Louis laughs a bit to himself, “I’ll see you tomorrow?”

Harry kisses him again for the hell of it, now that he knows he can. “Yep.” He grins, “What are we fixing tomorrow?”

“Uh…nothing as far as I know. I mean, maybe we can just hang out?”

“Sure, I’d like that. Just text me?” Louis smiles and nods, letting himself into his house.

Harry's grins the whole walk back to the cabin.


	5. Chapter 5

“Where are you going in such a hurry? It’s not even noon yet.” Gemma’s voice stops him as he’s walking out the door. She’s rocking away in one of the chairs by the door and spots him as soon as he steps out.

“Nowhere...” Harry answers and keeps walking.

“It’s funny how you’re always going out to nowhere these days!” She yells at him but Harry is long gone down the pathway.

He stops and walks around to the back of Louis’ house when he sees him and his mother through the window of their living room; it could be Jay’s office but Harry isn’t sure. He sends Louis a text to let him know he’s there. He watches Louis instinctually reach for his phone when it vibrates in his pocket. He tells his mum a quick goodbye, hugging her as she walks out the door and into her car. Harry waits till she pulls off before walking in.

He’s never been inside but it feels warm and very lived in, a lot different than the cabin he’s staying in where people move in and out every few weeks. This cabin feels stable like a home should.

“You ready to head out?” Louis asks, his eyes excited just thinking about taking Harry out on their boat.

Harry looks out the window before he answers, “Yeah, it looks cloudy off in the distance though… we better go now.”

Louis hops in the boat from the little wooden deck and begins removing all the ropes that keep it from moving. He grabs the cooler of water from him, and then Harry’s hand to guide him up and over the side. Louis has them off and gliding on top of the water within ten minutes.

“Thanks for coming out with me, by the way.” Harry has been watching Louis at the wheel for the last half hour. He looks good like this, like he belongs out here on the water. He wishes he brought his camera.

“Do you miss it when you’re at school?”

“Not really. Zayn can’t swim so he’s afraid of the water, Liam is usually gone when I am or he’s with his girlfriend, and my parents are always too busy to take the boat out.”

He looks sad when he’s finished explaining. “You never take other guys out here?” Louis smiles out across the water, he’s just teasing.

 “You mean there are other guys who break things just to talk to me?” he laughs but quickly turns serious again. “No one else is really into it anymore so, I’m glad you wanted to come. Thanks.” Louis’ eyes are sincere when he looks at Harry. His heart unexpectedly skips a beat.

The rain drives them in a couple of hours later. They crash into Louis’ house soaking wet and shivering from the cool air. Louis goes to get some towels for them to dry off and when he returns he gives Harry a pair of sweats and a t-shirt.

“Thank you.” Harry leans in and kisses him for the first time since the night before. He can feel Louis stop breathing when their lips touch.

He breathes an airy ‘ _you’re welcome’_ , then escorts Harry up to his room. He picks a movie to put into the dvd player and they sit next to each other the rest of the afternoon trying and failing to not full on make out in Louis’ bed like they’re sixteen years old.

Mrs. Tomlinson’s voice ringing through the house makes Louis shoot up from Harry’s side when she calls his name. They didn’t anticipate what would happen if Jay decided to come home early, they just figured she would be gone till at least nighttime.

They wait for the sound of her bedroom door shutting before sneaking Harry out the back door. It’s not like Louis’ mum would have any real say in who Louis does or doesn’t see, Louis said so himself, but he doesn’t want to hear the lecture behind it and he also doesn’t want to explain why he’s sneaking around with one of her clients’ sons. It’s just easier this way, so he kisses Harry once more and lets him walk back to his house. Harry is fine being his secret for the next few weeks.

_‘Sorry about all that. I just don’t want to her to be upset with me, especially since my dad’s not here.’_

_‘No it’s cool. I get it =) have a good night.’_ And Harry does get it. His mother wouldn’t take too kindly to boys sneaking in and out of his room either, and Louis is definitely not one of her patients. Besides, this is all just for the time being. It’s not like he and Louis are together or anything…

“And where did you get an extra outfit in the rain?” Gemma asks as he walks past her up the stairs. She’s looking at Louis’ sweats and crosses her arms waiting for an answer. Harry just grins at her and continues up to his room without replying.

\---

“If anyone comes out here we’re toast.” Harry laughs into Louis’ shoulder. Louis covers Harry’s mouth with his hand to stifle the sound. “This was maybe not one of our most brilliant plans.” They’re in the water up to their shoulders, and even though it’s freezing Harry hasn’t felt this warm in a while.

They walk as far as they can until they have to tread water in order to keep their heads up.  Louis takes another cautionary look around, “Alright, Harry, you ready?”

Harry’s already laughing and they haven’t even done it yet. “We’re so going to get caught!”

“Ok, on three. And if you make me do it alone I’m going to kill you.” Louis levels him with a look that lets Harry know he means business. “Alright, one…” Harry’s pulse was racing just from Louis sneaking him out here in the middle of the night, “two,” he knows his face is probably flushed from laughing with him, he feels good, “annnnd THREE!”

They both dip down into the water for a few seconds and when they bob back to the top they’re both holding their boxer briefs in the air high over their heads. “Now throw them! It’s the rules!” Louis shouts as he tosses his briefs in an arc far away from them. Harry throws his in the same direction, and then all his restraint is broken and he crashes their lips together. Louis laughs into his mouth and wriggles out of his grip.

“So? How’s it feel?!” He looks so excited; his eyes are sparkling even in the dark.

“It’s very freeing, you were right.” Harry admits, pulling Louis in again. He knows this is supposed to be one of those once in a lifetime experience moments, but all he wants to do right now is feel Louis’ lips against his. Louis goes willingly, opening his mouth to get a better angle.

Louis wraps a leg around Harry’s waist and he takes a sharp intake of breath. Harry was so concentrated on Louis’ mouth that he barely stopped to think about the fact that Louis was completely naked under the water. He has to remove himself from Louis’ grip when he starts to get a bit too excited about it. Louis makes a disappointed sound when he pulls away. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong, we should uh, probably get out of here soon though… someone could walk out here.” Louis frowns at him and moves closer to Harry who is now standing in the shallow water.

“It’s almost midnight, no one’s coming out to the lake.” He pulls Harry in and he can feel the exact moment Louis feels him and realizes. “Oh.”

“Yeah, we should probably go.” He meets Louis’ eyes and he can’t tell what he’s thinking. This is probably moving too fast, Louis is going to agree that they should go.

“No, Harry…I mean we could,” he takes Harry’s hand under the water and guides it to his own erection. He trails Harry’s fingers up and down the length of himself holding his eyes the whole time, “I mean if you want to, we could.”

He feels goosebumps prick up along the back of his neck when Louis ghosts his lips across Harry’s jaw. Harry attaches himself to Louis’ lips and wraps his hand around his base while Louis grabs onto him too. They touch each other under the water and after a few minutes they’re both coming and breathing into each other’s mouths. Harry has never felt more relaxed in his life.


	6. Chapter 6

They go out for drinks again the next night and Louis’ friends comment on how much closer they seem from the last time they went out, and it’s true, with Louis leaning into Harry’s side and rubbing his thigh under the table, he even kisses Harry’s cheek at one point when he switches from beer to vodka and gets a bit more handsy. Louis did work with his mum all day and they didn’t get to see each other, so he can see where all the public affection is coming from.

They walk back, well Harry walks back, Louis stumbles while Harry guides him through the short cut and back to the path. The whole time Louis is telling the very loud story of how they once tricked Zayn into skinny dipping alone and took his clothes so he had to knock on a random door to ask for a towel. Louis laughs the whole time they’re walking.

He’s pretty compliant while Harry walks him back to his house, that is until he realizes that Harry is walking him to his house. Louis goes limp and stops right in the middle of the path.

“Lou, it’s not that far come on, we’re almost there then you can go to sleep.”  Harry coaxes him. Louis refuses to move.

“Take me to yours. My mum’s there… she’s going to hear me being a drunken idiot. Keep an eye on me?”

Harry rolls his eyes. “So you want me to sneak you up stairs to my room past all of my family and hide you till the morning?” Louis nods smiling like it’s the best idea he’s ever heard.

As far as stupid plans go, it’s not too hard to actually sneak Louis inside. No one is downstairs except his mother and she’s all the way in the kitchen turned away from the door while she reads at the table. There was a close call when they walk past and Louis spots the sink, “HEY!” he shouts, “I fixed that sink before… it’s cause you broke it. You’re so stupid.” He mumbles into Harry’s neck.

“What was that, love?” his mum asks. Thankfully she doesn’t get up to come check on him.

“I uh, I just said goodnight. See you tomorrow.” He calls as he pushes Louis up each step with a hand clamped over his mouth.

Louis starts stripping down as soon as he’s inside the room and claims over half the bed when he flops down. Harry changes into sweats then slides into the small space next to him.

Louis’ kisses start off sweet and innocent, but he soon gets tired of that and starts swirling his tongue into Harry’s mouth and trying to fit his hand down Harry’s sweats. Harry has to break away.

“Louis, we shouldn’t right now. Let’s just go to bed.” Harry rubs a hand through Louis’ hair, wild as ever.

“But whyyyyy?” Louis asks as he flops down into his pillow. “I don’t want to sleep. I want you.” he mumbles to himself.

It takes most of Harry’s self-control to turn him down. “Yeah, but right now you’re really drunk and I’m not, so….it’s not fair. How about we just sleep for now?”

Louis snatches the sheets away from Harry to cover himself and settles down in the bed, “Oh Harold,” he tisks, “You’re just so kind and gentlemanly, aren’t you?” he smirks. He kisses Harry’s hand then turns his back to him. His snores let Harry know he’s asleep not even five minutes later.

Jay’s voice pulls Harry out of his sleep just long enough for Harry to realize that this isn’t a dream, he isn’t at Louis’, and yes, Jay Tomlinson is speaking somewhere in his actual house. He sits up slowly so not to alarm Louis but gently shakes him awake.

Louis frowns when he’s finally conscious, “Why are you doing this to me?” he whines, “Just leave me. Let my headache kill me, let my stomach-” He stops and sits straight up when his mum’s laugh filters through the door. “Shit. My mum is here.” He states as if Harry didn’t already know.

They both crawl out of bed and sit near the door to so they can hear. Apparently Anne is trying to invite Jay over for dinner. Jay is being very kind in declining, but Harry’s mum isn’t letting up. Soon Jay has no other option than to give in and have dinner with a client and her family. She agrees to come that night around six. “Be sure to bring Louis! You both deserve a night off of your feet.” They hear the door close letting them know Jay is gone.

Harry and Louis glance at each other and then they can no longer contain their laughter. Harry lets out a loud cackle that has Louis giggling on the floor as he shushes him. “You’re going to get us caught, Harry!” He says it between laughs so there’s no real conviction there.

When Louis is dressed and he hears his mum go out to the front porch he creaks open his door to let Louis slip out. It was a great plan until they hear another creak, but this time from Gemma’s door. They all eye one another in the hall, waiting to see if Gemma is going to be benevolent or if she’s going to blow their whole operation in two seconds.

“What’s it going to take to keep this quiet?” Harry sighs because he’s sure it’s probably going to be money (that he doesn’t have) or at least an all day shopping trip. He does like Louis though, so he guesses it’ll be worth it. Louis looks toward her, a hopeful expression in his eyes.

“I could extort you both for favors, but I think watching dinner tonight will be payment enough.” She smiles. Harry can hardly believe his ears.

“So you’re not going to do anything? Even though you know?” he asks incredulously.

“Oh I’ve known for days and you’d have to be deaf to not hear him cackling last night when you brought him home. But nope. I won’t say a word. I’m sure you two will ruin it yourselves…most likely in about six hours.” She laughs.

Harry ignores her, walking Louis down the steps to make sure he isn’t seen. Louis turns right before he’s about to go out the back door, pressing his lips against Harry’s. “I’m not worried. We can totally do dinner for an hour and act like nothing is going on.” he smiles walking out, checking behind him to make sure Harry’s mum is nowhere in sight.

Controlling his facial expressions when his mother told him about the Tomlinson’s coming over is one Harry’s major achievements of this whole holiday. He merely nodded and pretended to be more interested in his phone the whole time. “I thought you’d be excited,” his mum pouts, “I thought you and her son would get along.” Harry just nods, “Oh yeah. He’s- uh, he’s alright. It’ll be great.” He says, an apathetic tone to his voice. He kisses his mother’s cheek, leaving the room as fast as he possibly can.

When they ring the bell Harry’s father insists on opening the door, guiding Louis and his mother into the house. The whole _let’s not look at each other until we have to_ plan goes right out the window as soon as Louis walks in because Harry can’t take his eyes off of him. He looks amazing as always and Harry just wants to touch. He gets his wish about a second later when his father officially introduces them. He shakes Louis’ hand and his father has no idea that his smile is so big because he’s basically dating their manager’s son and not because he’s making a new acquaintance.

“Hello! It’s so nice to really meet you!” Gemma calls out as she shakes Louis’ hand a bit too enthusiastically. “You know officially and not like when you came over last-”

“OOOkay!” Harry says out of nowhere to cut her off, “I’m sure dinner is ready by now,” he puts his hand at the small of Jay’s back to escort her to the kitchen behind his dad, pinching Gemma in the process.

“I was just going to say from last _time_ when he fixed the sink!” She glares at him rubbing her arm. “You’re going to pay for that.” She threatens as she follows behind them with Louis at her side.

The big topic of the night is how good of friends Harry and Louis would probably be if they had grown up near each other. Their mums think it’s so funny how sweet they both are and that it’s such a coincidence that they’re close in age and both in school at the moment. Louis’s face is pink throughout the entire conversation because Harry keeps rubbing his foot up and down Louis’ bare ankles.

By the time the ice cream is being passed around, Harry is sure that no one suspects a thing, well excluding Gemma of course. His dad smiles at them fondly like he can see a friendship blooming before his eyes and his mum just wants them to bond over school. Jay smiles at them too, but she also looks at them a bit too carefully, watching how easily they steal glances at each other from across the table.

They all move to the living room for a while and then Jay announces that she has to get home. Anne hugs her and thanks her for coming as they get to the door. She makes it all the way down the porch stairs before she realizes that Louis isn’t with her.

“Aren’t you coming, love?” she asks when he’s still standing in the doorway.

“Uh…” Louis looks to Harry before speaking, “I thought I’d stay and hang out with Harry and Gemma a bit? You know, get to know the neighbors and all that before they have to go. I’ll be back in a bit.” Jay looks like she wants to tell him no, but Louis doesn’t really need her permission so he waves her off and heads back inside with the Styles’.

Harry’s mother and father head upstairs, leaving the three of them to clean up the kitchen. Harry and Louis start laughing as soon as their out of earshot.

“My mum’s face when I told her I was going to stay! I’m probably going to be hearing about that for the next century.” He looks so elated as he’s laughing with his eyes crinkling around the edges and his hand hovering over his mouth like he wants to hide his giggles. Harry grabs his wrist, pulling his hand away from his mouth and placing his lips there instead. He can still feel Louis smiling against his mouth as he guides them to lean against the refrigerator.

“Not to interrupt the sickening display of love over there, but I’m not doing these dishes alone.” Gemma states very loudly so they are sure to hear with her arms covered in dish soap. They break apart and begin helping, but they aren’t doing a very good job because they keep flirting with each other until the one of them breaks down and kisses the other.  Harry doesn’t even blame her when Gemma fake gags and leaves to go upstairs.

Harry is leaned up against the counter with Louis pressed into him, “I guess we should get you back before your mum has us both skinned alive.” He smiles into Louis hair playing with all the long pieces that curl upwards at the ends.

“She’s asleep by now…I’ll stay again, you know. If you don’t mind of course.”

Harry kisses the top of his head, “No, yeah of course. It’s not like Gem or someone is going to catch us talking to each other.” he teases.

They’re not too concerned when their kisses get  little loud and they end up panting in each other’s mouths because Gemma is too much of a softie to tell on them and she’s also too lazy to come tell them to be quiet. His parents are all the way down the hall so there’s no way they can hear when Louis wraps his mouth around Harry and all of the air leaves his lungs. Harry has grab onto the sheets to keep himself still just so he doesn’t thrust up into Louis’ throat.

Harry hasn’t had someone’s mouth on him in a long time. He hasn’t even touched himself since he’s been on this trip. He knows he’s getting close to the edge too soon, but he can’t bring himself to move away. He does manage to whisper that he’s close. He thinks Louis is going to pull back but he plunges down to take Harry all the way to the back of his throat just as he comes, making Harry’s head and shoulders arch off the bed.

He does his best to suck Louis off, but he knows it can’t be anywhere close to what Louis just did to him. Louis tangles his fingers into Harry’s hair like he's enjoying it though, like he’s barely hanging on so Harry keeps up his pace. Louis takes a bit longer than Harry did, but listening to the sounds falling from his lips makes the effort worth it.

He moves faster when he hears Louis’ breaths pick up. Louis nails rake over his scalp then he hears a broken _‘Harry, I’m-_ ’ and then it’s over and Louis is coming down his throat. They’re both a little sweaty as they lie beside one another, coming down together. When they fall asleep Louis curls back into Harry’s side waiting for Harry’s arm to cradle him in.

“I’m glad you decided to stay.” Harry whispers to him. He doesn’t get a reply because Louis is already sleeping.

Louis stumbles back to his house in a sleepy confused mess in the morning. He says he wants to be there when his mum wakes up so she thinks he slept at home. Harry thinks it’s for the best because knowing him and Harry get on well is a lot different from knowing he and Harry are now sleeping in the same bed.

Louis gets called to the deck of the cabin next door just before noon. This time when Harry tags along they don’t have to watch their backs in case Jay stops by.


	7. Chapter 7

Time really flies when you’re hanging out with a cute guy by day and sleeping next to him by night. Harry hasn’t really been paying attention to the days of the week lately. He knows his time here is limited- very limited- in fact he only has a handful of days left here at the lake.

Each time he and Louis are together he wants to bring it up, but it always feels like such a depressing topic to just dig up out of nowhere. What’s Harry supposed to say anyway? They both know this is just a temporary thing so he thinks it’s a moot point to dwell on it. They can just enjoy the next few days and then whatever happens will happen.

After another night of being forced to listen to them from across the hall, Gemma told them to either take a vow of celibacy or go find somewhere else to fondle each other. Louis’ was out of the question because his room is right beside Jay’s and she would definitely hear them, so Louis thought of another option.

“Which one do you want to look at first?” Louis asks dangling a mess of keys in front of Harry’s face.

“The one with the blue door, I guess.” That cabin looks much smaller than the one he and his family are staying in. They don’t need that much room for just the two of them.

The layout of this cabin is much the same of all the others he’s been in, but this one smells like it’s been vacant for a while. Harry walks around the downstairs taking in the furniture and the unused kitchen while Louis leans in the doorway watching him with a fond smile. “Go check out the upstairs, it’s nice too.” Louis follows him up to the second floor. He waits till Harry is facing him before speaking. “So what do you think? Is this one alright?”

Harry doesn’t answer right away. He busies himself opening and closing the bedroom doors to see which room he likes best. It’s all just very surreal, is all, with Louis showing him around an empty house asking for his approval before they pick one. He can picture himself doing this again in few years’ time but for real, and with- well Harry doesn’t know who he’ll be buying a house with in a few years, but right now he likes living in the fantasy with Louis. “Yeah, this is great. There’s no way Gemma can complain if we’re way out here.” He grins. “You’re sure about this though? I mean, I don’t want you to get in trouble or anything…” Harry isn’t sure, but stealing the keys to an empty cabin seems like a big deal.

Louis crosses the room and wraps his arms around Harry’s middle, “Eh,” he shrugs, “I’ve done worse things, Harold.”

Louis gives Harry one of the keys off the ring before he leaves to go back to work. Now if the two of them want to be alone they can just come here, instead of sneaking around in each other’s houses.

He gets a text from Louis after dinner and he can feel his stomach do weird twisty things when he reads it, ‘ _Meet me at the cabin? Xx’._

Harry grabs his camera bag and empties it out over his bed. He replaces all of his equipment with a toothbrush, a change of clothes, and his phone charger, strolling out the door five minutes later. No one questions where he’s going or how late he’ll be out, not even Gemma though she’s probably figured it out already.

He doesn’t know why he’s nervous as he turn the key in the lock and walks in. The lights are all off so he assumes he has beat Louis here, but then he hears sounds coming from the kitchen so he heads that way.

Louis is in sweats and a t-shirt, digging through a drawer and coming up empty-handed. There’s a tub of uneaten ice cream sticking out of a bag on the table. “I think the last family who stayed here either stole all of the spoons or ate them. I can’t find a single one.” Harry laughs watching Louis resort to eating it with a fork. “What??” Louis asks, “Don’t look at me like that! I’m hungry, my mum cooks like shit.”

They fool around downstairs until they’re both sticky with ice-cream and sugar from taking bites and then kissing each other’s faces and necks. Louis is the one who suggests they go upstairs after Harry lifts his shirt and sucks a dark mark into his side.

It’s exhilarating knowing that no one else is in the house and that nobody is going to show up. They don’t even close the door behind them when they fall into bed together.

Harry’s breathing picks up and he’s holding in all the sounds Louis’ mouth is wringing from him, until he realizes that he doesn’t have to. His moan is deep and guttural when Louis swirls his tongue around Harry’s tip. The noise encourages him to keep up the pace, and he swipes one finger over Harry’s hole. It makes him jump, his eyes flying open to look down his chest at Louis. Louis lets him fall out of his mouth, raising his eyebrows with question. “Is that okay? We don’t have to if you don’t want.”

Harry shakes his head, “No, No. Please, it just- caught me off guard.” He breathes out a humorless laugh as he watches Louis suck on two of his fingers to slick them up. The air gets kicked out of his chest when Louis thrusts them inside of him one finger at a time.

When Harry’s legs are shaking and his moans are all that fills the silence Louis eases off of him. Louis sits up between Harry’s legs, “I left everything in the kitchen, so if we’re gonna do this…” Harry can’t answer, he just nods violently watching Louis leave. When he comes back he digs a condom and some lube out of his bag and throws everything else, including Harry’s bag into the corner.

Louis inches back up to him and coats his fingers, opening Harry some more just in case. When he slicks himself up and pushes in Harry is thankful that no one is here or even in the cabin next door. Louis looks half gone within minutes, his eyes hooded like it’s all he can do not to come inside of Harry yet. They both make it a few more thrusts before they both come panting and sweating all over the sheets and each other.

They get themselves cleaned up in the bathroom across the hall and come right back to lay next to one another. Harry runs his fingers through Louis’ damp hair. “Have you ever done this before?” Harry asks as he’s admiring Louis’ profile. Louis smirks and raises an eyebrow.

“What? Have sex with a boy?”

Harry swats at his chest smirking himself. “No, I mean, bring guys here… you know to empty cabins that no one is renting.”

When Louis meets his eyes he feels his chest tighten. He wants Louis to say no, to say that this isn’t something he does with other guests, but Harry could be just another name on a very long list.

“Nope. No one but you, Harry.” Harry feels relieved, but his chest doesn’t exactly unwind. He shouldn’t care this much about who Louis has been with, so why does he?

Waking up next to Louis has to be one of the best perks of staying here in this house. He gets to live out all of his fantasies about playing house and picking a home they both like and all the other completely insane things that go on in his brain that he would never ever voice. But when Louis kisses his cheek after handing him a granola bar out of his bag, or when he nuzzles into Harry’s neck to ask if he wants to have a shower with him, Harry thinks maybe Louis is living out his fantasies as well. It makes Harry smile.

They lay around together until Jay texts Louis to come fix a panel on a porch. She thinks Louis stayed with Zayn. Harry leaves a few minutes after Louis does, gathering his key and phone and heading to his family’s cabin just three houses down.

“Hmmm. You look very pleased and smug this morning… I shudder to imagine why.” Gemma mutters, heading down the stairs past her brother. “By the way, mum says she wants to go out on the boat again before we leave so try to schedule us into your and Louis’ busy schedule.” Her comment shouldn’t make him as sad as it does. They’re leaving in a few days- three to be exact- and his mum is already planning end of holiday events.

He’s already expecting Louis’ text when it comes, so he leaves Gemma’s game of scrabble telling the family goodnight and heading upstairs to grab another change of clothes. He sneaks out the back this time.

Louis is already waiting for him when he climbs up to the room they’ve chosen to stay in. Louis brought his laptop this time so they can watch movies, so Harry spreads out next to him while Louis fits into his side.

They end up having sex again, and this time when they finish Harry holds Louis close to his chest. He doesn’t know what makes him say it now, it could be Gemma’s comment, or just the fact that he really is leaving soon, but he just needs Louis to know. “I’m going to miss you when I go back.”

Louis tilts his head up to look at him and his eyes are very serious. He readjusts his head back into Harry’s chest. “Three more days?” he asks softly. Harry nods. “Well…” Louis gently kisses Harry’s skin, “You’re here for now.” Harry’s heart aches in his chest because, yes he is here for now but what happens when he’s not. He can’t just go back to uni and forget about Louis, forget everything about him, and how much he cares…can he?

That morning feels just as incredible as every other morning he’s woken up to Louis on this trip. They have a breakfast of snacks that Louis stole from his house and watch another movie curled up into each other. Jay doesn’t text Louis to work so they lay around till noon when they try to turn all the non-perishable food items in the pantry into a decent lunch.

Later they set up another movie, but Harry soon gets distracted and starts paying more attention to Louis’ thighs and bum than what’s happening on the small screen. Harry wraps his tongue around Louis drawing a moan from the back of his throat as he hangs his head to expose his neck. Harry uses his fingers to open him up and the sound Louis makes rings out into the empty house. Harry wishes Louis had been a bit quieter, because then they would’ve heard the click of the door downstairs when someone came in. If they hadn’t been so wrapped up in each other then they would’ve known someone was walking up the stairs.

When Jay rounds the corner she stands in the bedroom doorway furious, eyes glued to both of them desperately trying to cover themselves. “Please don’t hate me.” Louis mutters, and Harry isn’t sure if he’s talking to his mother or to him.

Harry shuts his eyes knowing it’s coming but the yelling still makes him jump. Jay is so angry that she’s shaking in front of them and Louis doesn’t say a word in his own defense, until she says something that strikes a nerve. “How dare you? And how dare _you_?!” she turns to Harry then back to her son, “Your father and I trust you to help and you bring some random guy to shag in my empty cabin and then slag off with him all day like you haven’t a care in the world?! I- I don’t know what to say to either of you! Louis, since when are you sleeping with whatever boy will jump into bed with you? I knew something wasn’t right at that dinner! I knew-”

“He isn’t some random guy, and I didn’t just fall into bed with him! I know this looks bad, but it’s not like that…I like him.”

“He was here for a month! How can you possibly feel anything for him? You don’t even know him, Louis! What’s going to happen when he’s gone?” Harry stops breathing because as hurtful as everything Jay just said was, he actually really wants to hear what Louis will say. Louis takes forever to answer her and then she realizes she’s made her point. “Exactly.”

She watches them collect all of their belongings and makes sure Louis knows to come back here and clean the entire cabin before her new clients arrive tomorrow. Louis doesn’t even look at Harry when Jay forces him to walk back to his family.

Harry is sure his face tells the story of a man who has been mortified and heartbroken when he walks in. His parents wave to him as he heads up the stairs, “We want to see all of the pictures you’ve taken. You could show us tonight!” his father calls to him. It’s going to be difficult to explain that he has hardly any pictures of the forest or lake because most of them are of Louis.

Waiting all day and night for a text message is something he never saw himself doing before, but here he was, staring at his phone willing Louis to say something; anything. Gemma finds him later in the night and she must know that something is wrong because she gives him one of those rare hugs she only gives when Harry is sick or upset. He tells her he doesn’t want to talk about it but she gives her advice anyway.

“I don’t know what happened, but phones work both ways…You can text him too.”


	8. Chapter 8

Harry doesn’t leave his room till after three the next day; even then it’s just for food. He quit looking at his phone hours ago. Louis is clearly done with him.

He should be helping his family pack up all their belongings and clean the house since they’re leaving tomorrow, but he just can’t bring himself to do either of those things. It feels as if his mum comes to check on him every hour. She comes and rubs his hair and asks if he needs anything. She doesn’t ask him what’s wrong, but it’s clear that she’s worried. Harry wonders what he looks like…probably like shit.

By nighttime Harry has wallowed all day, and you would think he might start to feel better or at least not as hurt, but he just feels worse. Earlier he even admitted to himself that he misses Louis; that realization nearly did him in.

It’s a stupid idea, he knows, but he can’t help but to try. He types out a message and reads it over at least fifteen times before sending it even though it’s only three words.

_‘Can we talk?’_

It’s past two in the morning when Harry gives up hope that Louis will answer him, so he closes his eyes. If he sleeps deeply enough maybe by the time he wakes up it will be time to leave and go home.

As the universe would have it, Harry only sleeps for about an hour. He’s up when the sun rises, when his alarm on his phone rings, even when everyone else wakes up to find him looking wretched in one of the rocking chairs on the porch.  He knows he looks awful, but he feels even worse. Louis would probably laugh if he saw him.

“Harry, you can’t keep this up, look at you.”

Harry looks to Gemma for a second then back out his bedroom window. “Are mum and dad back from town?”

Gemma sighs. “No Harry they aren’t. You’ve been like this for days now. I don’t know what happened, but whatever it is you obviously still feel something for him, so why are you doing this to yourself? Did you call him?” Harry doesn’t say anything to her. “Haz?”

“Let me know when it’s time to go…when they get back.”

Gemma mumbles something on her way out but Harry doesn’t really care what it was. His room is all ready to go, he just shoved his one month’s worth of clothing into his bag, and chucked his phone charger and toiletries in a plastic bag he found. He doesn’t even want to look at his camera because he knows whose face is filling up the memory card.

He hears a commotion downstairs after about an hour or so, and Harry is sure it’s his parents back. He double checks his drawers and closet and grabs his bags to head down the stairs; he doesn’t even look back at his room.  

The sound of running water reaches him before he turns the corner to find water gushing out of the sink, wetting every surface within a few feet. He notices the handle from the cold side is missing as he watches the floor become more and more flooded. He heard the noise from upstairs a few minutes ago, the water has just been running down the counters ever since.

Gemma startles him when she walks up behind him. She hands him the missing piece of the sink, “You might need this.”

“Gem what the hell did you do?” he asks bewildered, the kitchen is going to be ruined and she’s grinning like a crazy person. He goes to yell at her some more but a knock at the door stops him.

“Oh, right on time.” She says and leaves to go up the stairs, “You might want to answer that!” she calls when she reaches the top.

He can’t believe someone would stoop this low. His sister is actually mental. What kind of person would go to such extreme lengths? Another knock pulls Harry out of his thoughts. He doesn’t know what to do but the sink isn’t going to fix itself and he doesn’t have any tools. He sighs walking to the door. Louis is going to hate him.

The door swings open and Louis hardly meets his eyes, instead looking at his feet and his hands waiting to be invited in. “Hey Harry.” He looks at him when he speaks and Harry hates to say it because Louis usually looks so amazing, but today he looks as awful as Harry.

“Louis,” Harry begins but Louis pushes past him into the house. Harry follows him to the kitchen watching Louis get straight to work taking out the wrench he knows he needs by now, after all this is his third time fixing it.

“Where’s the handle? I need it to, you know…”

Harry walks closer to hand it to him, but he grabs Louis hand instead when they touch.

“I want to talk to you. Please.” Louis’ eyes finally meet his. He looks so defeated.

“About what, Harry? Your sink is broken, I need to fix it, my mother is furious with me, you’re leaving today… what else is there?”

Harry takes a step back and lets the handle fall into Louis’ palm. He snorts crossing his arms, “I guess there’s nothing else then.” And Harry almost falls for it, but Louis looks so hurt at his words. He can’t leave this place knowing that Louis isn’t alright. “Why are you pretending you don’t care?” Louis turns to reattach the handle but Harry reaches for him and turns Louis back to face him, “Lou. Why won’t you talk to me?”

“We knew this was a bad idea from day one! What did you think was going to happen? You are here on a vacation with your family, which means one day you have to go back to your real life, no matter how much I care about you. Look around Harry! This is my real life whether you’re in it or not.”

Louis looks angry but Harry knows he’s just upset. He can see his eyes watering like he wants to cry but Louis is stubborn and Harry knows he won’t. “But I care about you too.” Louis looks away from him and down at the water running all over the floor.

“Well I’m glad you do, but that doesn’t fix our situation. We can’t be together when we won’t even be near each other.”

Harry shakes his head out of frustration. “People make all kinds of relationships work Louis so don’t tell me that shit. I don’t usually feel this way about people I’ve known for such a short time, but I feel this way about you. So if you want to do this we can try…we can do this but you can’t just shut me out.”

It’s quiet for a few beats then Louis meets his eyes again, “We’d never see each other…”

“We’re together right now because we’re both on break from uni. We’ll see each other.” Harry argues.

Louis sighs shaking his head, “My mother will hate us together after the way she caught us…”

Harry shrugs and smiles a bit, “Yeah, well hopefully she won’t hold a grudge for too long.”

“You could find someone else; someone at your school that you can be with and talk to every day.”

Harry moves closer so he’s right in front of Louis, “Yeah I could Lou, but I don’t want them.” He leans down to close the space that remains between them. He hasn’t felt this light in days.

 

 

**Four months later**

_‘Ten minutesXx’_

Harry runs around his flat one more time to make sure all of Niall’s stuff is still put away rather than hanging all over their furniture. He checks the kitchen to make sure the food is still alright in the oven. By the time he’s done another check of the bathroom to make sure Niall hasn’t destroyed it, the door bell is ringing and all of sudden Harry’s heart is kicking at his chest.

The last time he got to spend time with Louis was when he visited Louis at school nearly a month ago. The time before that was back at the lake for a weekend so Louis could visit his parents. Since then they’ve both been busy with work and exams, but this weekend was the first time they could both drop everything to be with each other. It's been so long.

Harry walks to the door, his heart in his throat as it opens to reveal his boyfriend, overnight bag in hand wearing a smile just as large as his own.

‘I’ve missed you!” Louis tells him as he buries into Harry’s embrace. Louis almost knocks the air out of him, but it's a feeling he's missed all these weeks without him.

 


End file.
